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The God of Jesus Christ: Meditations on the Triune God
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger In this book of meditations, based on a series of homilies and meditations presented and compiled by the author shortly before he became Archbishop of Munich-Freising, in 1977, theologian Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) presents his profound thoughts on the nature and person of God, building a bridge between theology and spirituality as he makes wide use of the Sacred Scriptures to reveal the beauty and mystery of who God is. He writes about each of the three persons in the Holy Trinity, showing the different attributes of each person, and that "God is three and God is one." God is--and the Christian faith adds: God is as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three and one. This is the very heart of Christianity, but it is so often shrouded in a silence born of perplexity. Has the Church perhaps gone one step too far here? Ought we not rather leave something so great and inaccessible as God in his inaccessibility? Can something like the Trinity have any real meaning for us? It is certainly true that the proposition that "God is three and God is one" is and remains the expression of his otherness, which is infinitely greater than us and transcends all our thinking and our existence. But, as Joseph Ratzinger shows, if this proposition meant nothing to us, it would not have been revealed! And as a matter of fact, it could be clothed in human language only because it had already penetrated human thinking and living to some extent. Continue reading... 
Dogma and Preaching
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger All of us have at one time or another wrestled with the problem of evil; few of us have not experienced in themselves the predicament of Job. Others have been consumed by the question: What is time? Some have cried that more attention be given the individual, specifically to women. Still others harbor a deep fear of the word "Americanize." In one way or another the foregoing questions and voluminous others of equal rank are the basis of problems that worry the modern world. Whether we realize it or not they are the kind of questions to which we would like answers in order to make life worth living. Fortunately, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger has proposed a series of incisive meditations that go a long way in facing questions that besiege the modern mind. Beginning with a consideration of his personal Christology the author clearly and calmly unfolds against the backdrop of the liturgical year the drama in which the modern soul finds itself. Continue reading... 
The Order of the Mass: Missal of Blessed John XXIII
Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite This booklet, ideal for parish use, is not only a guide for those acquainting themselves with the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (popularly known as the Tridentine Rite), but also a resource for those already familiar with this rich liturgy. Beautifully typeset and illustrated, The Order of Mass also contains an introduction to the Extraordinary Form, giving a brief history of the development of the liturgy. Other features include: • Foreword by the Archbishop of Melbourne, Australia, • Devotional prayers for before and after Mass • The prefaces of the season or feast, as well as select prefaces from the Pauline Missal approved for use with the Extraordinary Form • Thanksgiving prayers after Holy Communion • Motu propio "Summorum Pontificum" of Pope Benedict XVI • Letter of Pope Benedict XVI to Bishops • Decisions of the Ecclesia Dei Commission Continue reading... 
Five Pillars of the Spiritual Life: A Practical Guide to Prayer for Active People
Fr. Robert J. Spitzer, S.J. Saint Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, espoused the ideal of becoming "contemplatives in action." He was convinced that contemplation (the deep awareness and appropriation of the unconditional love of God) should affect our actions, and that our actions need to be brought back to contemplation. These five dimensions of the spiritual life: (1) the Holy Eucharist, (2) spontaneous prayer, (3) the Beatitudes, (4) partnership with the Holy Spirit, and (5) the contemplative life itself, generally do not develop simultaneously or even in parallel ways. Some develop very quickly, but do not achieve significant depth; while others develop quite slowly, but seem to be almost unending in the depth of wisdom, trust, hope, virtue, and love they engender. The best way of explaining this is to look at each of the pillars individually. Continue reading... 
Magisterium: Teacher and Guardian of the Faith
Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J. Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., here offers a complete theology of the Church's Magisterium. In a study that will be the standard treatment of the topic for years to come, Cardinal Dulles takes up such issues as the Magisterium's nature and function, the roots of the Magisterium in the New Testament and its development in the history of the Church, the relationship between the hierarchy of the Church and the theological academy, the scope of the Church's infallibility, the response due to the Magisterium's teachings, and the role of the Church's reception of magisterial teaching. Written for those seeking clarity, wisdom, and erudition about the Church's Magisterium, this book stands head and shoulders above any other presently available. Its accessible style makes it a valuable not only for scholars but for all Catholics. Published by Sapientia Press. Other recent titles from Sapientia Press: • Deification And Grace by Daniel Keating • Eternity, Time, And The Life Of Wisdom by Matthew Lamb • Trinity, Church, And The Human Person by Gilles Emery • Teleological Grammar Of The Moral Act by Steven Long 
The Early Papacy to the Synod of Chalcedon in 451
Adrian Fortescue Adrian Fortescue, a British apologist for the Catholic faith in the early part of the 20th century, wrote this classic of clear exposition on the faith of the early Church in the papacy based upon the writings of the Church fathers until 451. No ultramontanist, Fortescue can be a keen critic of personal failings of various Popes, but he shows through his brilliant assessment of the writings of the Church fathers that the early Church had a clear understanding of the primacy of Peter and a belief in the divinely given authority of the Pope in matters of faith and morals. Referring to the famous passage in Matthew 16:18 where Jesus confers his authority upon Peter as the head of the Apostles, and the first Pope, Fortescue says that, while Christians can continue to argue about the exact meaning of that passage from Scripture, and the various standards that are used for judgments about correct Christian teaching and belief, "the only possible real standard is a living authority, an authority alive in the world at this moment, that can answer your difficulties, reject a false theory as it arises and say who is right in disputed interpretations of ancient documents." Continue reading... 
Second Friends: C. S. Lewis and Ronald Knox in Conversation
Fr. Milton Walsh Available May 2008 | C. S. Lewis and Ronald Knox were two of the most popular authors of Christian apologetics in the twentieth century ... and for many years they were neighbors in Oxford. In Second Friends, Milton Walsh delves into their writings and compares their views on a variety of compelling topics, such as the existence of God, the divinity of Christ, the problem of suffering, miracles, the way of Love, the role of religion in society, and prayer. They both bring to the conversation a passionate love of truth, clarity of thought, and a wonderful wit. Lewis and Knox both had powerful conversion experiences to the Christian faith, an important aspect that Walsh covers in detail. Both wrote about their conversion experiences because they wanted to explain to others why they took that life-changing step. They each valued logical thinking and they professed that the Christian faith should be embraced not only because it is good, but because it is true. Reason provides the intellectual foundation of belief for both authors. Central to their writings is the theme of "longing", the desires of the heart which motivates us to seek love and truth. That is why for both apologists Christianity is much more than a doctrinal system: it is above all a personal relationship with Christ that entails romance, struggle and loyalty. Also, a common adjective often applied to Lewis and Knox as writers is "imaginative". They saw a lack of imagination as a great hurdle to faith, and they believed that imagination is a privileged path leading to a deeper apprehension of the truth. Continue reading... 
The Quest for Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome
Joseph Pearce Highly regarded and best-selling literary writer and teacher, Joseph Pearce presents a stimulating and vivid biography of the world's most revered writer that is sure to be controversial. Unabashedly provocative, with scholarship, insight and keen observation, Pearce strives to separate historical fact from fiction about the beloved Bard. Shakespeare is not only one of the greatest figures in human history, he is also one of the most controversial and one of the most elusive. He is famous and yet almost unknown. Who was he? What were his beliefs? Can we really understand his plays and his poetry if we don't know the man who wrote them? These are some of the questions that are asked and answered in this gripping and engaging study of the world's greatest ever poet. The Quest for Shakespeare claims that books about the Bard have got him totally wrong. They misread the man and misread the work. The true Shakespeare has eluded the grasp of the critics. Dealing with the facts of Shakespeare's life and times, Pearce's quest leads to the inescapable conclusion that Shakespeare was a believing Catholic living in very anti-Catholic times. Many of his friends and family were persecuted, and even executed, for their Catholic faith. And yet he seems to have avoided any notable persecution himself. How did he do this? How did he respond to the persecution of his friends and family? What did he say about the dreadful and intolerant times in which he found himself? The Quest for Shakespeare answers these questions in ways that will enlighten and astonish those who love Shakespeare's work, and that will shock and outrage many of his critics. This book is full of surprises for beginner and expert alike. Continue reading... 
One Lord, One Faith
Vernon Johnson In this classic work of apologetics, Monsignor Vernon Johnson, a former Anglican minister and Catholic convert through encountering the life and writings of St. Therese of Lisieux, presents a systematic and clear treatment based on solid Scriptural evidence for the case that there is only "one Lord, one faith and one baptism." A very well-regarded and happy Anglican clergyman in England, Johnson had no interest in, and was indeed very prejudiced against, the Roman Catholic Church. But on a chance side visit to the Carmel of Lisieux during a trip to France, Johnson had a totally unexpected, powerful, and life-changing encounter with the person and story of St. Therese, who had lived and died at that monastery. The witness of her life of deep holiness and love for Christ was something that was so inspiring that it caused Johnson to begin re-assessing the teachings and doctrines of the Catholic Church. After much research and study, and prayer, Johnson became convinced of the claims of the Catholic Church to be, as he says, "the one true Church founded by Jesus Christ to guard and teach the truth to all men until the end of time". Nevertheless, he struggled greatly and suffered much over leaving his beloved church and many parishoners to become a Roman Catholic. This work of apologetics was written to explain to the many friends and followers of Johnson how and why he came to the decision to become a Catholic. The book became a best-seller and is considered a classic work of apologetics. Continue reading... 
Nothing to Hide: Secrecy, Communication and Communion in the Catholic Church
Russell Shaw Shaw, widely known Catholic writer, speaker and former communications director for the U S Bishops, discusses the abuse of secrecy in the Church, the scandals it has caused and the serious problem of mistrust that exists in the credibility of the Church. Not concerned with the legitimate secrecy that is necessary to protect confidentiality and people's reputations, Shaw is rather concerned here with the stifling, deadening misuse of secrecy that has done immense harm to communion and community in the Church in America. Shaw shows the secrecy issue is a theological as well as practical problem that raises such questions as: What kind of Church do we want our Church to be, open or closed? What kind of Church should it be? And how much secrecy is compatible with having such a Church? As Pope Benedict XVI has stated, "The consequence is clear: we cannot communicate with the Lord if we do not communicate with one another." The Church is a communion, not a political democracy, and thus openness and accountability are even more crucial for the life of the Church than they are in a democracy. In a talk he gave many years before he became the current Pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had this to say about the reality of ecclesial communion: "Fellowship in the Body of Christ and receiving the Body of Christ means fellowship with one another. This of its very nature includes mutual acceptance, giving and receiving on both sides, and readiness to share one's goods . . . In this sense, the social question is given quite a central place in the theological heart of the concept of communion." Continue reading... 
The Living Wood: A Novel about Saint Helena and the Emperor Constantine
Louis de Wohl The renowned novelist De Wohl, with his usual crisp language and descriptive narrative, as well as irony and humor, presents the colorful and tumultuous times of the early Christian era in this story of intrigue, romance and power politics revolving around Helena, the devoted and saintly mother of Constantine, the first Christian emperor. This historical novel tells the story of the quest for the True Cross through fifty years of the most exciting events in Roman and Christian history. The narrative begins when the Tribune Constantius, a Roman officer stationed in Britain, meets and wins Helena, only daughter of the mystical and oracular King Coel of Britain. Through the course of their early lives together, and during their ten-year separation when Constantius returns to Britian as a conquering Caesar and Helena has become a rejected wife, devoted mother, and militant Christian, there is a sure and convincing portrayal of character growth and personal conflict. Helena's fierce determination to raise Constantine as a warrior son and her gradual discovery and dramatic acceptance of Christianity prepare her for the final miracle of her life discovery of the True Cross, the Living Wood on Calvary. Continue reading... 
Jesus, the Divine Physician: Encountering Christ in the Gospel of Luke
Christoph Cardinal Schoenborn Available May 2008 | Who is Jesus Christ? How can we really know Him? People have been asking that major question for 2,000 years. The best answers are found in the four Gospels, but how are they to be understood, and applied to our modern lives and faith? Cardinal Schönborn, the well-known Archbishop of Vienna, Austria, and renowned spiritual writer and teacher, presents this third book in his series of meditations on the Gospels, seeking to help the reader to have a deep personal encounter with Jesus Christ as seen in the Sacred Scriptures. His first two books focused on the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and this new book covers Luke. Sunday after Sunday, he uses the Gospel readings from Luke to explain the beauty of the Gospel in clear and understandable words. The Cardinal shows how many of the most famous and important events in Christ's life, and his greatest parables, are only related in the Gospel of Luke. The powerful parables of the Prodigal Son, of the Good Samaritan, and of the Lost Sheep are only told only in Luke's Gospel. Continue reading... IGNATIUS CRITICAL EDITIONS | Edited by JOSEPH PEARCE The Ignatius Critical Editions represent a tradition-oriented alternative to popular textbook series such as the Norton Critical Editions or Oxford World Classics, and are designed to concentrate on traditional readings of the Classics of world literature. While many modern critical editions have succumbed to the fads of modernism and post-modernism, this series will concentrate on tradition-oriented criticism of these great works. Edited by acclaimed literary biographer, Joseph Pearce, the Ignatius Critical Editions will ensure that traditional moral readings of the works are given prominence, instead of the feminist, or deconstructionist readings that often proliferate in other series of 'critical editions'. As such, they represent a genuine extension of consumer-choice, enabling educators, students and lovers of good literature to buy editions of classic literary works without having to 'buy into' the ideologies of secular fundamentalism. The series is ideal for anyone wishing to understand great works of western civilization, enabling the modern reader to enjoy these classics in the company of some of the finest literature professors alive today. 
Frankenstein | by Mary ShelleyMary Shelley's Frankenstein is one of the most influential and controversial novels of the nineteenth century; it is also one of the most misunderstood and misinterpreted. It has been vivisected critically by latter-day Victor Frankensteins who have transformed the meanings emergent from the novel into monsters of post-modern misconception. Meanwhile Franken-feminists have turned the novel into a monster of misanthropy. Seldom has a work of fiction suffered so scandalously from the slings and arrows of outrageous criticism. This critical edition, containing tradition-oriented essays by literary scholars, refutes the errors and serves as an antidote to the poison that has contaminated the critical understanding of this classic gothic novel. 
Wuthering Heights | by Emily BronteWuthering Heights is one of the classic novels of nineteenth century romanticism. As a major work of modern literature it retains its controversial status. What was Emily Brontë's intention? Were her intentions iconoclastic? Were they feminist? Were they Christian or post-Christian? Who are the heroes and the villains in this dark masterpiece? Are there any heroes? Are there any villains? This critical edition of Emily Brontë's classic includes new and controversial critical essays by some of the leading lights in contemporary literary scholarship. 
King Lear | by William ShakespeareOne of the most popular of Shakespeare's plays, King Lear is also one of the most thought-provoking. The play turns on the practical ramifications of the words of Christ that we should render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's. When confronted with the demand that she should render unto Caesar that which is God's, Cordelia chooses to "love and be silent". As the play unfolds each of the principal characters learns wisdom through suffering. This edition includes new critical essays by some of the leading lights in contemporary literary scholarship. 
God's Word: Scripture, Tradition, Office
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger In this book Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, presents the Word of God as a living reality in the Church. God's Word, according to Ratzinger, is encountered in the Bible, in Tradition, and through the teaching Office of the Bishop, who, through apostolic succession, is to be the servant of and witness to the divine Word. Ratzinger examines as well the relationship between the Episcopacy and the Papacy. He also considers the nature of Apostolic Succession, and he responds to Reformed objections to the Catholic view of the subject. His treatment is sympathetic to the concerns of non-Catholic Christians while remaining faithful to Catholic teaching and practice. This book also includes the famous Erasmus Lecture of Cardinal Ratzinger, which assesses the strengths and weaknesses of modern critical approaches to biblical interpretation. Ratzinger proposes a new approach that avoids the pitfalls of a narrowly critical outlook on the Bible without succumbing to fundamentalism. Continue reading... 
The Gift of Infallibility
James T. O'Connor Available May 2008 | Infallibility is a deeply misunderstood idea, within as well as outside the Catholic Church. It remains a subject of great theological debate, especially regarding papal infallibility and the ordinary magisterium of the Church. In The Gift of Infallibility, theologian James T. O'Connor clarifies the idea of infallibility. He provides a helpful translation of the "relatio" or official explanation by Bishop Gasser given at Vatican I, the Church council that defined the dogma of papal infallibility. Also included in this important volume is the first draft of chapter 4 of the Dogmatic Constitution Pastor Aeternus, as well as the final, official chapter of the constitution. Despite its importance in all theological discussions on the doctrine of infallibility, Bishop Gasser's relatio had never until recently been translated from the Latin original into English. The relatio reveals a mind which is logical in process and fully acquainted with the historical and theological aspects of the question. Continue reading... 
Engagement with God
Hans Urs von Balthasar Available April 2008 | Foreward by Dr. Margaret Turek | The brilliant theologian and philosopher Balthasar writes about God's involvement with man, and man's involvement with God in the Old and the New Testaments, and how that interaction of the divine with the human reveals the meaning of true freedom that man is always hungering for but often strives after in wrong and dangerous ways. He shows that God's free revelation of himself in Christ is an invitation into the realm of absolute and divine freedom, in which alone human freedom can be fully realized. Balthasar demonstrates that through God's becoming man in Jesus Christ, which is an example to all of true fulfillment, there is a break-through and entry into the sphere of precisely that kind of freedom which is so feverishly sought after by modern man but which, without the revelation of God, he can never otherwise find. From the true Christian there radiates the kind of freedom that is constantly being sought after by the non-Christian. In modern times, the freedom of man is a theme which preoccupies everyone. Atheistic philosophies are wholly taken up with this preoccupation. The Enlightenment was concerned with the freeing of reason from the "letters of faith". Marx wrote about freeing man economically, and Freud wrote of freeing man from the bondage of a past as yet unmastered. Continue reading... 
Divine Light: Theology of Denys The Areopagite
William Riordan In his missionary journeys, St. Paul spoke in a number of cities in the Greek peninsula including Athens, renowned for its philosophical heritage. He addressed to them the message of the One, Unknown God (Acts 17:22ff). Among those present in the Areopagus (the open city center of Athens) on that day was a certain Denys (Dionysios) who eventually became a disciple of Paul. Centuries later, a corpus of writings appeared bearing the name of the Denys the Areopagite. These texts were considered to be the writings of the first century disciple of the Apostle Paul and thus achieved almost immediate prominence, strongly influencing the lives of St. Maximus the Confessor (d. 662) and St. John Damascene (d.749) in the East and Eriugena (d. 877), St. Bede (d. 735), St. Bernard (d.1153), St. Thomas Aquinas (d. 1272), Nicholas of Cusa (d. 1464), St. John of the Cross (d. 1591), and many other great minds in the West. Later historical studies of Denys' texts, especially during the 19th century, showed conclusively that the writings are of a later date (5th century) than had generally been thought. Hence, the appending of "Pseudo-" before the name of Denys (Pseudo-Denys, Pseudo-Dionysius) became common place. Continue reading... 
Creation and Evolution: A Conference with Pope Benedict XVI
Fr. Stephan Horn Available April 2008 | Foreword by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn | In 2005 the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn wrote a guest editorial in The New York Times that sparked a worldwide debate about "Creation and Evolution". Pope Benedict XVI instructed the Cardinal to study more closely this problem and the current debate between "evolutionism" and "creationism," and asked the yearly gathering of his former students to address these questions. Even after Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, he has continued to maintain close contact with the circle of his former students. The "study circle" (Schulerkrers) meets once a year with Pope Benedict XVI for a conference. Many of these former Ratzinger students have gone on to become acclaimed scholars, professors and writers, as well as high ranking Church prelates. This book documents the proceedings of the remarkable conference on the topic of "Creation and Evolution" hosted by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 at the papal summer residence, Castel Gandolfo. It includes papers that were presented from the fields of natural science, philosophy and theology, and records the subsequent discussion, in which Pope Benedict XVI himself participated. Continue reading... 
Christ, Our Joy: The Theological Vision of Pope Benedict XVI
Msgr. Joseph Murphy Noticing how often the new Pope had the topic of "joy" as the central theme of his many addresses, Murphy delved into the vast writings of the Pope, before and after his election to the papacy, and found that the theme of joy has pervaded all of his theology. Recognizing the Pope's invitation to joy as a key to understanding his basic theological vision, Murphy develops those ideas and writings in a creative way, and helps the reader to engage personally with the original and pastoral mind of Joseph Ratzinger, professor, pastor, and now Pope Benedict XVI. This joy is nothing other than the joy of the Christian faith. Indeed, the "first word of the New Testament", says Pope Benedict XVI, "is an invitation to joy". The Gospel of Jesus Christ, he insists, is not a burdensome imposition but is truly "glad tidings" for mankind. Christianity is the key to true and lasting joy, the only joy that abides in the midst of life's anxieties and difficulties. Written in a clear and engaging style, this book argues that joy is central to all of Pope Benedict's thought. All the other great themes of the Christian faith are intimately connected with it and radiate out from it. The world is in need of hearing once again the message of joy which Jesus Christ makes known. Continue reading... 
Church, Ecumenism and Politics: New Endeavors in Ecclesiology
Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger Available May 2008 | This work features the most discussed topics of the life of the Church, treated with unique frankness and depth by the Church's spiritual and theological leader. In this collection of essays, theologian Joseph Ratzinger, now Benedict XVI, tackles three major issues in the Church today--the nature of the Church, the pursuit of Christian unity, and the relationship of Christianity to the secular/political power. The first part of the book explores Vatican II's teaching on the Church, what it means to call the Church "the People of God", the role of the Pope, and the Synod of Bishops. In part two, Ratzinger frankly assesses the ecumenical movement--its achievements, problems, and principles for authentic progress toward Christian unity. In the third part of the work, Ratzinger discusses both fundamental questions and particular issues concerning the Church, the state and human fulfillment in the Age to come. What does the Bible say about faith and politics? How should the Church work in pluralistics societies? What are the problems with Liberation Theology? How should we understand freedom in the Church and in society? Continue reading... NEW IGNATIUS PRESS BOOKS | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Request a FREE Ignatius Press catalog If you'd like to receive the FREE IgnatiusInsight.com e-letter (about every 1 to 2 weeks), which includes regular updates about IgnatiusInsight.com articles, reviews, excerpts, and author appearances, please click here to sign-up today! |
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